That's Italian

My man is Italian.  Very Italian.  100% even.  I have met some of his family.  Wow!  And it's all good!  So, I decided to cook a real Italian meal for him.  I searched the net for authentic recipes.  Even found an article on "Italian Cooking 101".  Nice. So, I knew which dishes to make, how to serve them, and let the good times roll.   I skipped the antipasto (appetizer) cuz that is usually saved for "special" times, as tho this wasn't a special time.  So, this was the meal:  4 cheese stuffed shells, eggplant parmisan, Italian meatloaf, and tirimasu.  All made from scratch.  Italian cooking includes a LOT of chopping, fresh herbs (oregano, basil) and some skill and patience.  Oh yeh, Lots, and Lots of sauce.  I had so much sauce made that I thought I would be able to save some.  NOT!!!  He laughed at me and told me there was not enough.  He was right!  Italians actually serve extra sauce on the side.  And Tiramisu!  I saw hundreds of recipes, all similar, but I chose the best one!  It was wonderful!  And, I have never really liked tiramisu.  And he said he doesn't know anyone that has ever actually made it.  I am the only ONE!  I rock!!   Oh yeh, some Italian red wine to go with dinner.  Very nice.  A huge success.  Another Italian thing is that everyone pitches in and cooks, eats, then cleans up.  So, he actually made the eggplant, and it was wonderful! 

Shopping for this meal was a task in itself.  I needed real Italian ingredients so I had to find some of them in specialty shops that carried them.  Special cheeses, spices, etc.   And it turned out I barely had enough bowls and pans to hold everything.  That's where Gerry really came in handy, constantly washing dishes so they could be reused.  It was soooooo much fun.  And the meal was sooooo good.  And the compliments were awesome.  /me pats herself on the back.  And after?  I'll never tell.  But he is still here......